As a member of the Gillespie Field Eagles, you will attend an intense eight week FAA approved ground school  (in the evening after regular school hours).  The course is free for GFE students however the student must purchase required texts and materials.  Periodic and final written exams are given.  Upon successful completion of the course, the student must take the private pilot written examination required by the Federal Aviation Administration.  There is a fee for this exam and must be passed to continue on with GFE training.

In addition to completing ground school and GFE student must also schedule and pass a flight medical.  These usually cost approximately $100.  Students who pass ground school and the medical exam are now cleared for take-off.

Students are provided access to both a Cessna 152 and a 172 for training.  Instructor time and aircraft are free of charge to the student however a student contributes $30 per flight, irrespective of the length of the flight, to cover fuel and maintenance costs.  This donation is the suggested minimum and should be compared to other flying clubs $90-$120 per hour aircraft rental charges as well as instructor fees.

What We Provide

A Path to Soar into the Sky

How We Do This

The organization is non profit and survives on the generous donations of individuals and corporations who are passionate about aviation and sharing it with those youth who may otherwise not be able to afford it.   GFE has been fortunate to receive endowments and cash donations however due to limited funding, we must limit the number of students we select annually.  With additional funding and volunteers, we hope to touch more youth with our program.  You can support GFE by clicking here